An defence official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including transport use to communication habits.
